A Visit to “The Dying City” Civita di Bagnoregio, Italy

Posted by:

|

On:

|

,

 

Civita di Bagnoregio is a town located in the Lazio region of Italy. It received the name “dying town” (La Città Che Muore) due to it’s location on an eroding tufa plateau. The dramatic view of the town on top of a hill creates a unique and stunning photo. Not only is it aesthetically beautiful, it is full of a rich history. Originally founded by the Etruscans while later a flourishing medieval town. Wandering the streets of the stone buildings and winding paths feels like stepping back in time.

History of Civita di Bagnoregio

Civita di Bagnoregio from far away
Civita di Bagnoregio from far away

The stone passage entry way was cut by the Etruscans 2,500 years ago. It was originally next to two other towns. After flourishing throughout the renaissance era, in 1695 there was an earthquake. The natural disaster caused the city to separate from the other two so forth creating the cliff edge. As residents fled over the years, edges of the cliff began to erode and took bits of the town with it. Many years ago, it was not a well known site with only 11 residents. Now, there are many restaurants/shops and a few local residents. Many tourists come to the area to be transported back into time and enjoy the history of the town before it completely erodes away.

The Details

Address: Via dei Bagni 2 01022 Civita, Bagnoregio VT Italy

Cost: € 5,00

Time: 2.5 hours

Parking: Paid parking on the mainland

Hours: 8 am – 8 pm

Website: Civita di Bagnoregio

Our Experience

Sitting on the ledge with Civita di Bagnoregio in the background

After parking, we walked over to the entrance. From here it is possible to get some really great photos! There is a ticket booth on the left side just before the large bridge. The town does not have cars so you must take the walking bridge to get to the town. There are a few stairs before you get to the bridge. Be prepared for a decent incline and a good walk.

The town is adorable and so fun to walk through. I recommend going into the small shops for locally made goods and souvenirs. My favorite was the natural skincare shop. Plan to go around lunch time and grab a bite to eat at one of the many restaurants. We got gelato to eat while sitting in the plaza. In the plaza is a cathedral as well that has a museum inside of it. Bring a bit of change incase you need to use the bathroom while there.

During our visit it didn’t feel very crowded. We went midday and there was only a handful of people. It was easy to walk around and get photos. There was also only one bigger tour group that we saw and it was when we were leaving. Overall, it felt calm and serene to walk around the town.

How to get to

Civita di Bagnoregio

Renting a car was one of the best decisions we made while in this area of Italy. We rode a train to Grosseto, picked up the car from the rental shop and then drove to Saturnia Springs and Civita di Bagnoregio. This was perfect because each place was about an 1.5-2 hours apart. We were able to keep all of our stuff in the car rather than carrying it around the town. Parking was was inexpensive and easy to access. Due to the car being a rental, we did have to make it back to Grosseto. From there, we took a train to our next destination.

Public transportation is an option. According to Google maps, using public transport going from Rome to the city can take anywhere from 2.5-4.5 hours. From Florence it can take 3.5-4.5 hours.

Another option is to book a guided tour from a surrounding town. Often times these tours include the transportation so this could be a day trip from Rome or Florence. Listed below are some links to guided tour options!

 

Recommendations

The valley looking out from the city
View of the valley looking out from the city.
  1. Wear good walking shoes. The trek across the bridge is no joke.
  2. Wear a hat and sunscreen. As you walk around the town, there isn’t a lot of coverage in between the buildings.
  3. Plan to eat lunch while there. With a variety of options and different views, you can’t go wrong with any choice of restaurant.
  4. Take your photo at the top before the entrance. If you go where it leads to the parking lot by the entrance it is harder to get a good angle for the photo.

We hope you found this information about Civita di Bagnoregio helpful! We would love to hear about your trips to Italy! Want more Europe info? Click here:


**That Adventure Couple utilizes affiliate links throughout our posts to assist you in getting access to the exact experiences and products we talk about. If items are bought through these links, we will earn a small commission which helps keep our site running at no cost to our viewers.

2 responses to “A Visit to “The Dying City” Civita di Bagnoregio, Italy”